Cers Wind
by What About Love
Summary: Sequel to Mistral Wind...because the two winds are closely related, right? Perhaps, they are still a bit different.
1. Chapter 1

She cringed as she looked down into her daughter's crib, keeping her distance. At first sight the little girl looked sweet and charming, but Karen couldn't see that anymore. A week had passed, and she literally hadn't held her child once. Will stayed with her overnight and came straight to her apartment after work, and Rosario had agreed to stay with her during the times he was gone.

But that was all changing. Will decided that he should probably go back to living in his apartment, since everything he owned was a decent distance away. He was leaving her alone with the baby, and she wasn't at all prepared.

"Are you sure you want to leave, honey? Maybe just another week." She didn't even turn to face him as he collected his belongings and prepared to go home.

"Kare, that's ridiculous. It's not like I'm never coming back. If you need anything you can call me." He turned her to face him with his hands upon her shoulders, meeting her cold eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He studied her face for a moment, but didn't push the issue. It was obvious to him that she wasn't necessarily comfortable with motherhood, but it was for her own good to be left alone. She needed to start doing things for herself if Marie was going to live with her.

"Good…" He leaned forward and placed a kiss upon her lips. "Call me if you need anything, and I mean anything."

"I will, honey." And he left. She took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen. The nursery was close enough that she didn't have to worry about not hearing the baby if she woke.

She placed a pot of water upon the stovetop and turned on the burner. Will had taught her how to make spaghetti, which wasn't difficult, and she figured she may as well have dinner early. There was nothing better to do with her time, so food sounded like a good way to occupy it.

Keith whined a bit and rubbed against her ankle, hoping to get a piece of whatever she was cooking. She only pushed him back with her foot, sighing at his persistence. She opened a magazine, looking for expensive new clothes she could wear since her body was on its way back to what she considered normal. Perhaps she could begin going to social events again, get a bit of her personality back.

The water began to boil, and she broke the noodles and finished making her spaghetti. It wasn't the worst she'd ever eaten, but it didn't taste like it did when Will made it. There was something that he did, with seasoning or something, that made it taste wonderful. After eating only half of what she made, she cleaned off her plate and placed it in the dishwasher.

The glass of wine went smoothly down her throat. She hadn't consumed alcohol since she discovered her pregnancy, and she suddenly realized how much she had missed it. She filled her glass once more and drank, a bit slower than before.

A piercing cry filled the air, and she felt as if she could vomit. It felt way too soon for her to witness her own incapability. Her feet carried her to the nursery, slowly. Her eyes looked down to the face of her crying infant, and she froze. She didn't reach for the baby, frankly she didn't care all that much about the crying.

The tiny face contorted in discomfort and her legs began to kick, but Karen hadn't the slightest idea what to do. Did she change her diaper? Was it time to give her a bottle? Will seemed to instantly know exactly what to do, but the instinct was absent from her. She hated to be weak, but she picked up her phone and dialed.

"Rosie, what do I do?" Her trusted maid, and friend, would know what to do. And she wouldn't tell anyone else about Karen's uncertainty. There was no way she would call Will because he would begin to worry. She would have rather suffered the wrath of Rosario's jokes than let him think there was something she couldn't do. "The thing is crying, and I don't know how to make it stop."

"That 'thing' is your daughter, Miss Karen."

"Just tell me what to do."

"You pick her up, comfort her, check her diaper, change it if it needs to be changed, and give her a bottle. Then, burp her after she finishes and comfort her again until she falls back asleep. Or, if she isn't tired, play with her for a little bit."

"Wait, is there any way I can do that without having to pick her up? That's a lot." Silence was heard on the line, and she could feel the judgment. She knew instantly how foolish she sounded. "Ugh, fine. I'll see you later."

She hung up her phone and looked down at her little girl once more. She was crying louder than before, and Karen knew what she had to do. She placed her hands beneath the child and lifted her from the crib, cradling her to her chest. Her hand made its way over the diaper, giving her relief in the fact that it wasn't in need of changing.

While the bottle was warming in the microwave, she took a deep breath and relaxed. She had heard once that a baby could sense fear, so calming herself was her first step. Marie began to settle a bit, cuddling her face into Karen's chest.

She fed her child, the way she had seen Will and Rosario do it, and patted her back until she had no gas. It all felt unnatural, but she went through the necessary steps to keep the child happy. Motherhood was not at all what she had expected, and she wasn't sure if it would feel any better as time passed.

She lay back upon the couch and allowed Marie to rest on her chest as she patted her back. Running her hand over the child's head she discovered how soft her dark hair was. She smelled clean and gentle, if that were possible, and as she drifted to sleep Karen heard small sounds of contentment echoing from her throat.

Karen slowly stood, so she wouldn't wake the child, and walked into the nursery to return her to the crib. Relief was felt as she stepped away, finally allowing her nerves to take over her mind. She took the monitor into her room and got under the covers of her bed. It felt lonely without Will, but she was used to being alone.

And she realized that, that was how life was going to be. She and Marie would be home together while Will was at his own apartment. She was alone when it came to caring for her child, and that scared her.

"Miss Karen?" Rosario entered her bedroom, and she sat up to meet her friend's gaze.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The maid moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed, taking Karen's hand in her own.

"You sounded pretty worried on the telephone. I wanted to make sure everything is okay."

"Thanks, Rosie, but its fine."

"You mean you actually touched her?" Karen met her eyes, not thinking the joke was at all funny. She was also slightly embarrassed that someone else knew a bit of what she was thinking.

"Am I a bad person? I don't even want to touch my own child, I'm terrible."

"No, you're a new mother. You're just feeling scared right now, but the sooner you jump in and start caring for her, the sooner you'll feel better."

"When will I love her?" There was silence. She knew she should have kept that thought to herself, but she had to know. She didn't want to continue feeling that way.

"You already do. Miss Karen, you just have to take a deep breath and embrace this situation."

"Would you stay with me tonight, Rosie? I'll pay you." Rosario smiled and took off her jacket, standing.

"You don't have to pay me; I'll do it as a friend. But I'm not doing anything for you. I'm only here for guidance if you have a question."

"Okay." She stood and hugged her friend, taking some comfort for herself. "Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

Karen awoke to a shrieking cry, causing her to jump out of bed and rush to the nursery. The past few weeks had been easy enough, but Marie cried too often for Karen's liking. She was tired and ready to just get back to life. She felt that all she had to do, present and future, was care for the baby.

She hurried to the baby's side to find that she was still sleeping. She groaned and rolled her eyes at the fact that she even heard crying in her sleep. After going back to her room and putting on her glasses, she entered the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. The phone rang, and she hurried to get it before it woke Marie.

"Hello?"

"How was your night, Kare?" Will's chipper, morning voice transferred through the phone and reached her ears with a particular annoyance.

"It was just like every other night."

"You sound tired."

"Well, I'm not a morning person, Will. Why are you calling?" She couldn't help the coldness of her voice, but she resented him somehow. He visited often enough, but sometimes she would go days without seeing him. She hated that she missed him, but she hated even more that she was doing most of the work.

"Stop taking your anger out on me. I'm calling to invite you and Marie over for dinner tonight. I set up a crib next to my dresser, and you two should stay over."

"I'll be there at five-thirty."

"That's fine. And take a nap, you sound…" She hung up before he could finish. He obviously had no idea how hard it was to find time to sleep when there was a child needing attention every hour or so. She was so unhappy.

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"I don't know what her problem is. She barely even wants to look at Marie, let alone touch her. She didn't touch her once the whole time I was over there the other night. I know she cares for her when I'm away, but I've never seen her touch that baby." Will was obviously distraught, but neither Jack nor Grace knew how to help him.

"Maybe it just seems that way. You're probably overreacting." Jack remained silent as Grace's excuse passed between all of them, but nothing came of it.

"No, she literally did not touch her." Grace shrugged, unsure of what to say to comfort his mind. "I don't want her to hate this, because I know how harsh she can be. What if she leaves?"

"She's not going to leave, Will."

"How do you know that?" Jack met his eyes with a harshness that he didn't expect. Until then he had been silent, but he couldn't remain that way any longer.

"She wouldn't do the same thing to her child that her mother did to her."

"Lois didn't walk out on her."

"No, but she left her with an empty and lonely childhood. It would have been the same if she had gone. She would never let herself turn into her mother, so don't talk like she isn't better than that." Karen entered the apartment, as if it was on cue. All eyes turned to her as she closed the door and sat down the diaper bag.

"What?" She asked when she noticed all of her friends staring as if she were a disease. They mumbled their responses, incomprehensible, and she ignored the tension she found in the apartment. She had no time for their silly games.

Will met her by the couch and she handed Marie to him instantly, not even moving for a kiss. She tossed her purse upon the coffee table and found a place to sit at the table. Jack took her hand in his, and their eyes met.

"Karebear, you look exhausted."

"What a coincidence; I feel exhausted too. What are we eating?" Will placed Marie in the crib he put in his room before he served dinner. Conversation flowed lightly, mostly between Grace and Jack, but the tension was still thick.

It had been like that ever since Karen had given birth. She and Will couldn't make love so it was as if they couldn't connect as a couple. It was just as well, she supposed. He had never given her any idea that he loved her, never said the words. She was barely sure they were even considered a couple, especially when there was never time to spend together.

Will cleared the table, and Karen laid her head down, for what she thought was only a second, but she awoke with a startle at the sound of her child. Grace and Jack were in front of the television, but Will was nowhere in sight. She walked into his bedroom and found Marie in his arms, attempting to comfort her. She wouldn't stop crying, and she smiled when she found him at a loss for the solution.

It was funny to her that he couldn't calm their baby. The man whom she thought to be so wise when it came to parenting seemed to be faltering right before her eyes. He groaned a bit, and a giggle escaped her lips. His eyes met hers and he raised his eyebrows.

"You think it's funny that I don't know what to do?"

"Can I tell you a secret, honey?" He nodded and turned to face her a bit more. "She doesn't like to be cradled like that. Let her put her head on your shoulder and pat her back." He followed her advice and Marie's tears began to subside, much to his relief.

"Would you stay over?" She was quick to agree, wanting nothing more than to have him hold her in his arms. He tucked Marie into her crib and pulled Karen into an embrace. "I miss you."

She looked into his eyes and leaned up to take his lips with her own. It was the first time she had felt any passion between them in weeks, her stomach fluttering. They spent the evening with their friends before falling asleep in each other's arms, taking turns getting up with Marie during the night.


	3. Chapter 3

She placed a kiss in between his shoulder blades while her fingers caressed his bare stomach, his chest. That was one thing she loved about their relationship, awaking next to him. It was a small thing, something that she had taken for granted with her past relationships, but she savored every moment she was safe in Will's arms.

"Your hands are soft."

"So are you." She kissed his back again, smiling as he wrapped his fingers around hers and brought her hand to his lips. He turned to face her, taking in the silence of early morning. Marie was peacefully sleeping across the room, occasionally making cooing sounds as she moved a bit.

He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips, pulling her close. She and Marie had been spending the weekends at his apartment for two months; she had already reached two and a half months old. Time was moving quickly, but Karen still felt as if she was in the same place emotionally. Nothing ever seemed to change.

She moved on top of him and kissed him hard on the mouth, pressing her chest against his. With one swift motion she pulled her shirt over her head and ran her fingers through his hair. Her tongue trailed down his neck, along with her kisses.

"Stop."

"Why?" She kissed his bellybutton and began to push his pants down. His hands grasped her wrists, and she gasped as he pulled her up to face him. "Will!"

"I said stop. We can't do anything with a baby in the room." She laughed a bit, but stopped when she noticed he was completely serious.

"Honey, she isn't going to mind." He rolled her off him and stood from the bed, finding his slippers. "Are you serious right now? We haven't had sex in…"

"I know, okay. I would just rather not do it with her in the room." She pulled the covers back and hurried over to him, taking his hands in her own.

"Are you sure that's the only reason? You still want me, right?" He rolled his eyes at her odd insecurity, before looking her body up and down. She was clad in her bra and a pair of his boxers.

"If you could see yourself through my eyes right now, you would know that I still want you."

"Then, come on." She leaned up and tried to kiss his lips, but he still pulled away.

"I'll go get some breakfast." A groan escaped her lips as he left the room to perform his task, which included pouring two bowls of cereal. She put her shirt back on and entered the kitchen as he finished pouring the milk and setting the bowls upon the table. He took a seat, but she wrapped her arms around him from behind before he could take a bite. "Karen…"

"The baby isn't in here. Give me a reason I'll respond to." She kissed the side of his neck, running her hands down his chest. He smiled at her persistence when she bit his earlobe and continued to remove his shirt, tossing it to the floor.

He pulled away and she moved around him to straddle his waist in the chair, connecting their lips in a rough kiss. She had missed that, missed him. Since the birth of their child they hadn't really connected, on a relationship level. Of course they spoke a bit, but not about feelings and things that really mattered. It was too superficial for her; she needed a physical relationship more than anything at the moment. She needed to feel attractive and cared for.

"Ew!" Grace entered the apartment to find Will and Karen in a heated lip-lock, his hands pulling at her clothing. They pulled apart and waited, unsure of what Grace's facial expression was exactly.

"Good morning, Gracie." Karen broke the small ounce of tension with a chipper salutation. It wasn't as if their relationship was a secret, they had a child and everything. But physical expression of their relationship had never been seen by anyone else. It was as if they could only be intimate in private, neither of them liked public displays of affection.

"Yeah. Please tell me you two haven't had sex on every surface of this apartment." They laughed and Karen leaned over a bit to grab her bowl of cereal, never moving from Will's lap. For some reason, she didn't want to move. She wanted to stay close to him, even if Grace was in the room.

"Don't worry, honey, we're usually pretty bedroom oriented." She took a bite, but Will continued.

"Except for the limo."

"Oh, and the shower."

"And…" Grace interrupted their banter with a wave of her hand.

"Seriously, you two need to just move in together and have sex on the stuff in your own apartment." She entered her bedroom to get a nap before going out on her date. Meanwhile, Will and Karen remained still, motionless.

It wasn't a topic that arose between them, but once. And even then it was quickly avoided. They weren't in love, so there was no need to push too far so fast. He shrugged and patted her thigh with his hand.

"Well, that was odd."

"Yeah, it was." She smiled a bit and stood from his lap. She didn't really feel all that playful anymore. "I think I'm going to take a shower, honey." She walked towards his bedroom.

"Should I join you?" She gave him the brightest smile she could, but shook her head. Her brightness was dull enough to look fake.

"Nah. Marie should wake in a little while. I won't be long." He sighed as he watched her enter his bedroom, on her way to shower. His mind began to wander, and he wasn't sure he liked it. He didn't want to think about the future while he was having a difficult enough time feeling comfortable with the present.

He walked over to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of wine. It may have only been eleven in the morning, but he needed to soften his mind a bit. That had been happening a lot more recently, but he felt that life had been making him think way too much. He was obsessing over things that began to overcome him, like his relationship with Karen. He quickly downed two glasses and rinsing it thoroughly before anyone noticed why he was feeling lighter.


	4. Chapter 4

Karen lay on the couch, unable to get enough strength to move. Will had Marie for the day and would be back to her apartment any moment. She dreaded his return. Ever since they had acknowledged the idea of moving in together, she had been thinking a lot about their circumstances.

Were they going anywhere with their relationship? She couldn't help but wonder if he really cared about her the way she wanted him to. She wasn't even sure how she felt. Feelings hadn't exactly been coming to her lately. She didn't really care about many things, if she had to think about it. The routine of life was beginning to eat her alive, yet she didn't even care enough to protest.

"We're back, mommy." Will entered her apartment with a new stuffed animal in one arm and their child in the other. "Did you miss us?"

"Of course." Her words were not at all convincing and he chuckled at the distance she put between her feelings. It wasn't amusing; it just made him uncomfortable.

"Don't get too excited or anything." He lay Marie down in her play-crib across the room before sitting in front of Karen's stomach on the couch. He ran a hand over her forehead, pushing back her hair. "You've been really down ever since Marie was born."

"That wasn't that long ago, Will."

"Three months. She's starting to get a personality, and I think maybe you should get yours back too."

"Leave me alone." She pulled away as he reached for her hand.

"Karen, I want to take you to the doctor." She scowled, pushing him away from her. He sounded crazy. Why on earth would she need to go to the doctor? She was just tired, that's all.

"Why don't you go fuck yourself?" He rolled his eyes and stood from the couch as she rolled over, not wanting to face him.

"I'd rather you at least want to fuck me."

"I tried, but you wouldn't."

"You tried once, that's all." He took a deep breath and sighed. "Look, I don't want to fight with you. I just want you to do this for me. I'm worried that you might be depressed." He sat upon the couch once more, placing his hand gently on her hip. "I made an appointment for ten o'clock tomorrow morning. Please, Karen, I'm worried about you."

She sighed, unsure of what her reaction should have been. At first she thought about yelling at him, throwing a fit, but his words resonated with her. He said he was worried for her. She had never heard him sound so concerned for her own personal wellness, and it was touching in a way.

"Pick me up at nine thirty."


	5. Chapter 5

She sat upon the edge of the table as her doctor placed his hands over her throat, feeling her glands and such. Will was seated next to the table upon a leather chair, waiting to hear what the doctor had to say. He watched the man look into Karen's eyes, as if he were trying to read her mind.

"Mrs. Walker, could I ask you a few questions?"

"Not if the answers are none of your business." He chuckled a bit at the bitterness in her voice and took a step backward.

"At least you're honest." She rolled her eyes and sighed. She didn't want to be there, and she wished she could just go back home and take a nap. Rosario couldn't stay with the baby for too long if she was going to get any housework finished. "How do you feel right now?"

"Tired." He scribbled her answer upon his notepad before meeting her eyes again.

"How is motherhood treating you?"

"I don't know. Fine, I guess." He wrote on his paper again. She bit her lip, wondering what exactly he was writing and for what reason. Was he some sort of therapist too?

"Are you happy?"

"No. I'm pretty angry right now." He continued to write.

"Why?"

"Because…" She stood from the table and tosseded the notepad from his hands. "You keep writing my answers on that fucking notepad. Is there some hidden agenda that I don't know about?" He looked shocked, but waved Will away when he attempted to stand and help Karen sit again. He only sighed and watched her yell at her doctor.

"You sound paranoid. Why?"

"I obviously don't need to be here."

"You mean you think that constantly being tired, not wanting to hold your child, and distancing yourself from relationships in your life is normal?" She gasped at his words. How could he speak to her that way? Was he even allowed to say such things to her?

"You have no right to…"

"Mrs. Walker." His voice cut her off, and she met his blue eyes with anger. He gestured for her to resume her previous position upon the table, and she obliged. "Answer my last question honestly, and then you can go."

"Just hurry up."

"With everything in you life, and your current situations, are you happy?" She began to say yes, hoping to get out of his office quickly. Instead of speaking, she met his eyes with a harshness that she often found to feel superior to others, and she began to uncontrollably cry.

"I want to be." Her whisper caused Will to stand from his chair and take her sobbing form into his arms. She held tightly to him and continued to cry. He couldn't allow the doctor to continue badgering her with questions when she was so obviously distraught. She hurriedly pulled away and wiped her eyes, sitting as straight as she could. She cleared her voice and sighed. "I didn't mean that."

"I'm going to prescribe something for you, just to help ease your mind."

"I don't want to be on antidepressants." As if he didn't hear her, he continued to write the prescription and handed it to Will.

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The limo ride back to her apartment was silent, but so loud. Will looked at her, still holding the bag from the pharmacy. She had rebuilt her wall, but it wasn't as strong as it used to be. It was all different, she was different.

"I'm sorry about how you feel." She scoffed, but didn't look at him. He assumed she blamed him for the feelings she was experiencing, but he wanted her to know he was there for her.

"No, honey, I'm sorry." He scooted closer to her, taking her hand in his. He looked at her fingers, noticing that it had been months since she had even filed her nails. She didn't care about so many things.

"Why would you be sorry?"

"Because, it's my brain doing this, and I have no control over it." He placed his fingers beneath her chin and turned her head to face him.

"You don't need to apologize for anything. All you need to do is start taking these pills, and I will be here for you if you need anything. And I mean anything. If its three o'clock in the morning and you need me to come over and hold you, I'll be there."

She nodded, leaning close to him and placing her head upon his chest. His arms felt warm around her, and she felt comforted for the first time in a while.


	6. Chapter 6

She watched Jack play with Marie, smiling a bit at the use of his baby voice. Her dog, Keith, ran into the room with his chew toy and sat next to her upon the couch. He snuggled against her thigh, causing her to unconsciously run her fingers over the fine fur on his head.

"Poodle, I've heard that if you talk to her in that baby voice then she'll use a baby voice too."

"She won't be able to talk for a long time. I'm not hurting anything." He rolled his eyes and leaned back over the baby, who was lying upon a blanket on the floor. "Mama is just being silly."

"Seriously, I don't want her using a baby voice. She can already sit up, and the book says that she could start talking anytime. She even makes little talking noises. And she's trying to crawl." He waved his hand towards her and rolled his eyes once again.

"Fine, I'll stop. Just please stop sounding like one of those moms…"

"Thank you." She stood to get the teething ring from the freezer as Jack lifted Marie into his arms.

"You take care of Mama when I leave. Say 'Mama.'" She only giggled a bit and grabbed at his mouth. "Mama, Mama, Mama…"

"Shut up, Jackie, you're starting to give me a headache." She handed the frozen ring to Marie and took her in her arms.

"Fine, I'll see you later." He placed a kiss upon her lips, before turning back to the baby. "Bye-bye. Be good for Mama." He began to walk out the door when the child's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Mama…" He turned to find Karen's eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape.

"Oh, Poodle, did you hear that?" He stayed a bit longer and they cooed over Marie for a few moments before he actually left his best friend's apartment. Karen smiled as she sat her daughter upon the couch, kneeling in front of it to meet identical eyes.

"Mama…" She had been repeating her first word ever since she said it, seemingly excited about all the fuss made over her when she did so.

"Good job, honey." Karen took the small hands in hers and clapped them together, eliciting a giggle from the infant. Then, she couldn't explain her emotion, but Karen began to cry. For the first time since she gave birth, tears of happiness began to flow from her eyes.

She had been taking her antidepressants for a couple of months, but they hadn't made too much of a difference, she didn't think. However, her opinion changed when her heart felt warm and a smile formed upon her lips. And, at the exact moment her tears stalled, she felt happy that she was a mother. She was happy that her life had led her to the joy she was suddenly feeling, so quickly.


	7. Chapter 7

Will finished off a bottle of wine in his apartment, relaxing after a day at work. He was drunk, he couldn't deny it, but he felt so light. If he had to be honest, he had been drinking more often since Marie's birth. There were just so many things about which he had to worry.

He was falling behind at work, mostly because he was so worried about Karen that he took a lot of half days and such. But there was no way he would allow her to go through a depression alone. He just wasn't that sort of man. Also, he was worried about their relationship. They hadn't made love in six months, since Marie was born, and he wasn't sure how to take it. He couldn't tell if she just didn't feel like it, which he could respect, or if she didn't find him attractive anymore.

Time passed, but their lives together stalled. They were close, but it seemed as if they were only close on a friendship level. She didn't even kiss him once the last couple of times they saw one another. He was worried, but he didn't want to say anything because he didn't want her to feel the same. But he wondered if she even noticed.

"Hi, honey." She entered his apartment with a smile upon her face, pushing the stroller in front of her. "How was work?"

"Long." He placed his empty wine glass upon the coffee table and turned a bit to face her. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? Well, honey, you invited me two nights ago." She chuckled a bit at how forgetful he had been. "Do you want me to go? You know, leave you with your bottle."

"What?"

"You're drunk." He waved her statement away with his hand and took his glass to the kitchen. She followed and stood watching him from the other side of the island counter. "Will, is something wrong?"

"I…no, just a long day." She didn't believe him for a moment when she saw the glossiness of his eyes. "What did you do today?"

"Marie and I had lunch with your mother." She decided to allow him to wallow in whatever was wrong with him for the moment. She didn't want to push him into talking about anything. He made his way back to the couch and sat, pulling Marie's stroller over to him and playing with her a bit. "She gave me a few pictures of you when you were a baby. Marie looks a lot like you did, well, except for the parts of her that look like me."

"Why did you have lunch with my mother?" He sounded angry, and she still wasn't sure why. She placed her hands upon her hips and tilted her head.

"She asked me to go. Does that bother you?" He shook his head and leaned further back on the couch. She sat next to him and smiled. "Oh, that's good. I'm surprised at how well she and I get along. It's really strange because…"

"Why are you so talkative?" She knew he was drunk, but his words sounded so harsh. He could be very heartless when he was drunk, and that is why he never drank too much. But something was different.

"I'm on a roll, honey. Today was the first time in two days that I've had a real conversation with someone who doesn't spit baby food at me. I just thought we could share about our day."

"Well, I've spent all day talking, and I was hoping for some peace and quiet."

"You invited me over." His eyes were dark with purpose when she tried to look deeply into his emotion. They were sharp.

"How the hell was I supposed to know it was going to be such a stressful day?" She abruptly stood and grabbed the stroller, turning it before opening the door. "Damn it, Karen, wait." He followed her out the door, finding her waiting for the elevator.

"Get away from me, Will."

"No, just come back inside. We can talk." She turned to face him, neither of them noticing Jack peeking through his apartment door. He heard loud speaking and was curious to know the source.

"We can talk later, when you're sober and coherent." She turned away, but he firmly grabbed her upper arms and turned to face him once more. "Ouch, let go."

"Not until you come back inside!" He shook her to emphasize his words, but it only worked to frighten her a bit. She wasn't used to him reacting so harshly to her. She began to remember a story he told her about a time he hit a friend of his in college when they were drunk. She hoped to God he wouldn't revert back to that state of mind.

"Let go!" She struggled to pull away, pushing at his chest, but he shoved her against the wall. His face was close to hers, and she felt her shoulders ache a bit at the pressure he was applying. "Will, you're hurting me."

Jack exited his apartment and stepped next to Will, taking his arms and pulling him away from Karen. She was breathing heavily, and still feeling slightly threatened by Will's behavior towards her. He looked at Jack, met her eyes once more, and he began to sob.

"Karen, I'm so sorry." She was left unarmed, standing tightly against the wall. He covered his eyes with his hands and stepped away from Jack, returning to his apartment to lye upon the couch.

"Poodle, would you mind watching Marie for a while." He walked over to the stroller and began pushing her towards his apartment.

"She can spend the night, if you want."

"Thanks." He closed the door to his apartment, and she slowly made her way to Will's. She had never seen a man cry, discounting Jack of course, and she felt nervous. As she walked inside she placed a hand against his arm before he slowly pulled him into a hug, allowing him to cry into her shoulder.

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She sat upon the floor next to him as he lay upon the couch. He had stopped crying quickly after he had begun, and she was running her fingers through his hair. He didn't tell her why he was behaving so strangely, why he was drinking, but she planned to get to the bottom of it. There was no way she was just going to let it go.

"Will, what's going on? I've never seen you act like this." He sighed, but didn't answer right away. He had to tell her; he just didn't know how. Yes, he was holding a secret. He took her hand in his and placed a kiss upon her fingers. "Please." He met her hazel eyes, full of concern for him.

"I don't know how to tell you."

"Honey, you don't have to be afraid to tell me anything." He chuckled a bit, but continued to think of the right words to say. Her face fell into a frown, her brow furrowed. "You don't want to break up with me do you?"

"No, not at all." He was quick to answer. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. He sat up and took both of her hands in his. She continued to look into his eyes from the ground, worried. "I went out with Jack the other night and something happened."

"What?" She felt panic begin to arise within her throat. She stood from the ground, sitting next to him upon the couch. Suddenly she wanted to be on the same plane as he.

"I met this guy, and I was so drunk. We went to the back room at the club and…well…" He didn't continue, and her heart was pounding within her chest.

"Did you fuck him?"

"No." He didn't continue, though. He wasn't sure how to say it without making her feel betrayed. He looked in her direction, but she was no longer studying his face. She looked hurt already, even though she didn't know the whole story. "He kissed me…and I didn't push him away right away."

"Did you feel anything? Do you miss men?" Her questions were odd to him. He didn't expect her to sound rational at all, but to yell and leave him.

"I thought I did when he and I were dancing, but all I kept thinking about was you."

"Don't try to sweet-talk me."

"I'm not. And I'm so sorry, Kare. It didn't mean anything, I swear." She met his eyes to find them pleading for forgiveness. She sighed and turned to face him a bit more.

"Well, it was just a kiss, right? No tongue or anything?"

"No, just a kiss." She smiled a bit, and he felt his mind ease for a moment. She wasn't taking it the way he assumed she would.

"That's not really a big deal, like you made it sound."

"You aren't angry?"

"Not really. I mean, if you're freaking out about one kiss then I guess I should trust that you wouldn't do more."

"I wouldn't, I promise you. I would never cheat on you."

"Do me one favor and we'll forget all about this whole thing, honey."

"I'll do anything for you." She gave him a soft smile, hoping to ease his mind.

"Stop drinking so much."


	8. Chapter 8

He said it was only a kiss, and she believed him. However, she felt insecure about their relationship. He had called their relationship off once before because of a man, Vince. It was before Marie was born, but she still wasn't sure if he was willing to give his life to a woman.

She had just dropped Marie off at George and Marilyn's house, and she was walking through her apartment. She had no idea what to do. Grace was busy on a vacation with a new man she was dating, and Jack was busy with some play he was involved with. She could've called Will, of course, but she wasn't certain of where they stood. Was he still feeling awkward about their conversation? She knew that she still thought about it as soon as she saw him, but she wasn't angry. She didn't feel betrayed because she trusted him.

Thunder crashed above the clouds and she cringed a bit. She was not a fan of storms, and the rain outside was causing puddles to form upon the pavement. After a moment of contemplation she sighed and grabbed her phone.

She decided to go to Will's office and take him to an early dinner. She found a light blue dress she bought before Marie was born and decided that it would be perfect for the place she wanted to take him. It caressed her knees and the buttons on the front accentuated her cleavage enough to make her feel sexy for the first time in months.

Will looked up from his desk to find Karen entering the office, her curled hair framing her face. He smiled and turned off his computer immediately, knowing that work was officially over for the day. She walked over to his desk and sat upon the corner, crossing her legs and leaning towards him.

"When was the last time we acted like teenagers together?" He smiled, shrugging.

"Why? Are we going to do something stupid?"

"I came here with the intention of taking you to dinner, but I want to do something crazy."

"Like what?"

"Let's just go and dance in the rain."

"I thought you were afraid of storms."

"Well, I don't see lightning anywhere." She raised her eyebrows and stood, walking out the door. He quickly followed her and took her hand in his as they entered the elevator.

It was foolish, dancing in the rain, but she wanted to be foolish. She was ready for some fun in her life. She kept a hold of his hand as they ran to Central Park, through the warm summer rain. It would have usually seemed to take longer to get there, but their excitement led them to their destination quickly enough.

She giggled as he took her in his arms and lifted her, spinning them around as if they were in some bad romance film. He held her close as they swayed to a soundless tune, dancing in the rain. His fingers tickled her waist as he pulled her close, and she could feel his lips upon her cheek.

"How long do you want to stay out here?" He placed a kiss before pulling away and meeting her eyes.

"Forever." She smiled, running her fingers through his hair. "We're the only ones here, let's just stay."

"You don't think it'll stop raining?" She shook her head and smiled.

"I've missed us, honey." She placed her head against his chest, kicking off her shoes.

"Karen, there are germs and…"

"Shh…" She held him close, hugging him tightly to her as they spun in circles. They hadn't been together so sweetly in so long that she had almost forgotten his touch, his scent. She looked at him once more before standing upon her tiptoes and kissing his lips, gently. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her from the ground once more, pulling her close. A sigh escaped her, and she could feel her body weakening at the feeling of his hands.

"Your place or mine?" He kissed down her cheek, and she smiled. One kiss was all it took to stir up emotions they had missed for so long, so many months.

"Mine is closer."

"Let's go." He took her hand and they began to run once more.

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He slammed her against the wall of her apartment as they tossed the door closed. It had only taken moments to reach her floor, soaking wet and dying to be close. His hands grasped her thighs and she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his fingers pushing her dress out of the way. She pushed off his jacket, allowing it to fall to the floor, as he stepped out of his shoes.

He carried her to the bedroom, quickly, where they continued to undress one another. With their clothing in a heavy, wet pile upon the floor she pushed him onto the bed and straddled him. As she kissed his jaw line and prepared to fuse their bodies with her hand, she felt happiness flood her soul. Happiness: it was something she rarely knew, but she certainly recognized the feeling.

She heard him whisper her name as she slowly sat her hips over him, taking him in as deeply as her body would allow. She bent herself to lye against his chest, taking his lips in a passionate kiss before she began to move her hips. His fingers delicately traced her spine as she moved, feeling the warmth of his skin all over her.

"I love you." Her own words surprised her, and she slowed her pace, meeting his eyes. He gave her a sweet smile, rolling them over and kissing her hard on the mouth. She didn't know what came over her, but she couldn't control her words, her feelings. She loved him, more than her own life, and the feelings quickly slipped from her mouth. His lips touched her ear, and he picked up the pace once more. She wrapped her legs around him and held him close as he whispered, only for her to hear.

"I love you so much, Karen."


	9. Chapter 9

She tightly held his shoulders as she lay on top of him, kissing his neck. They had made love throughout the night, memorizing the shapes and curves of one another's bodies as they had once done before. The only difference was they knew each other's bodies by heart. And it became morning way too soon.

"Are you awake?" He chuckled and rolled them so they were on their sides, face to face.

"How could I sleep when you're naked on top of me?"

"Was I heavy?"

"Not at all." He smiled at the fact that she was still the same woman she was at the beginning of their relationship, more or less. She was much happier, and a lot less drunk, but while in his arms she was as close to being herself as he ever saw. She wasn't a mother or president of Walker Inc, she was a woman.

"I'll bet it's different since I had Marie. Did it feel much different to you? Do you still like it?" She looked worried, and he smiled. Of course she knew it would be different, but she wasn't sure if she was still as satisfying for him. She knew he would never say anything on his own, even if there was a difference, so she decided to bring it up first.

"She was a small baby. Honestly, there isn't much of a difference. Besides, its' you I'm making love to, not your body."

"Making love? That sounds odd when you're talking about us." He laughed and placed a kiss upon her lips.

"Why? That's what we've been doing."

"I know, but it sounds weird. I do love you, though. I meant what I said, honey."

"I know you did, and I did too." He ran his hand over her back, leaving it to rest upon her hip. He unconsciously rubbed his thumb over the place her tattoo was engraved as he looked into her bright, hazel eyes.

"Where does that leave us then? What's going to happen next?"

"You want to have a baby?" She giggled, glad that he wasn't taking her questions too heavily. It wasn't that she wanted to put a damper on their moods; she just couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them.

"I guess we've kind of done some things backwards, but, honey, where do you see us going?"

"I…don't know." He knew what he wanted. He wanted them to move in together and raise their child, giving her memories of happy parents and good experiences. And, eventually, he wanted to marry her and possibly even have another child, a boy perhaps.

"Would you like to move in with me?" She had been thinking about it too, and he felt excitement in her suggestion. However, he also wanted to make sure it was the best idea for each of them. "I mean, you were just talking the other day about how you have to renew your lease and, well, have you ever though about it?"

"Oh, Karen, I've tried so many times to find enough courage to ask you the same question." He couldn't get enough of her smile. "I would love for that to happen."

She met his lips with her own and pulled him closer for a deep kiss, running her hands through his hair. His body fell heavier on top of her as he caressed her curves with his hands. She sighed into his mouth as his tongue penetrated her lips.

"And you thought you'd never see him with a woman." Marilyn's voice caused them to break their kiss, gasping in embarrassment. Will hurried to make certain their naked bodies were covered as he watched his parents quickly turn away from the scene. He and Karen hurried to dress in whatever they could find, pajamas that had just been washed and were still sitting upon her chaise lounge chair.

"Mom, Dad, good morning." Will was the first to enter the living room, his cheeks still pink with residual embarrassment. "I guess we didn't hear the phone when you called."

"We didn't call, William. However, you should tell Karen to lock her doors at night. An ax murderer or rapist could've walked in at any moment. We did."

"Obviously." He took Marie into his arms and sat in a plush chair while his parents sat upon the couch. Karen entered the room, smiling a bit as she greeted George and Marilyn. Will shot her a questioning look, and she immediately knew he wanted to tell them about their living arrangements. She nodded, finding it humorous that they could read one another's minds with just one look.

"Well, I'll make sure she locks the door every night in the future because we're moving in together."


	10. Chapter 10

"I expected your mom to be upset about it, not your dad." Karen and Will sat at a coffee shop, waiting for their friends to meet them. They were planning to break the news to their friends, hoping they took it better than George.

"I did too. First he's pissed that I'm gay, and now he's upset that I'm in love with a woman. I don't know what he wants from me."

"Oh, honey, I don't think it's _you_ he has the problem with." She put a bit of her iced coffee upon her fingertip and placed it against Marie's gums, hoping to ease a bit of her pain from teething while bouncing her on her knee.

"My parents like you."

"Your mom has liked me since we first met, mainly because we both like to drink, but I've never actually spent any time with your dad. Well, I did talk to him that one time at the Fourth of July party they were having, but we were both drunk and I was kicking his ass in poker." He smiled, remembering how they yelled and cursed at one another when she won the final hand of poker.

"Maybe we should all four go out for lunch sometime." She nodded, unsure whether or not that was a good idea. She lifted Marie to sit upon the table in front of her so she could feed her some baby bananas from a jar. Grace and Jack entered the coffee shop smiling and sitting at the table along with their friends.

"Oh, kids we have something to tell you." Karen smiled and was just about to make their announcement when Marie coughed, spitting up a mixture of formula and mushy bananas all over Karen's face and blouse. "Oh, shit."

She felt her stomach lurch as the warm substance oozed down her shirt, between her breasts. Will was quick to take the baby in his arms and begin cleaning her with baby wipes. Karen, however, hurried to the bathroom to empty her own stomach. No matter how many times her child had spit up on her, that was the worst and she just couldn't stop herself from getting sick as well. She had to wonder when it would no longer bother her. She had to wonder when she would be like all the other mothers she had seen. They all seemed perfectly fine with shrugging and cleaning their own child's vomit.

"Karebear, are you okay?" Jack pushed the door open to find her sitting on a small couch next to the sinks.

"You're in a women's bathroom, honey."

"Like I've never been in a women's bathroom before." He rolled his eyes and sat next to her as she continued to wipe bananas from her face. He took another towel and wetted it a bit before beginning to clean from her hair. "That was disgusting."

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, Will has her all cleaned up." She nodded, unbuttoning her shirt and removing it to clean the spots a bit.

"That was the worst, Poodle. What am I going to do when she gets older and vomits real food? Ugh, just the thought makes me feel sick, and I'm not the kind of person who has a weak stomach."

"Hey, it happens. It's not a big deal. At least she's your kid and not someone else's."

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one who just had to taste baby puke."

"Ew. Let's talk about something else." He continued fixing her hair before wiping some that she missed from the side of her neck. "What were you going to tell us before?"

"Oh, Will is going to move into my apartment with me." He paused, hands upon her chest. "Okay, you've just gone from cleaning me up to feeling me up." He pulled his hands away from her cleavage, shaking his head a bit. "Are you okay?" She slipped her arms back into her blouse and began to button it.

"But, you two…I…good for you. That'll be fun." He tried to hug her, but she pushed him back.

"What the hell was that? Poodle, you're my best friend. You're supposed to be supportive of me, or at least tell my why you aren't." He shook his head, taking her hand between his. His fingers twisted one of her rings absentmindedly as he spoke.

"I don't want to lose you for good. I understand that things have to change, but I hardly get to spend any time with you as it is. What will happen once he moves in? I'll be stuck with Grace all the time."

"I didn't know you felt that way." She looked at him for a moment before turning his face to meet her eyes. She wished there was more time for her to spend with him, she loved him, but so many things had changed. Talking on the phone and occasionally going out to lunch was suddenly the basis of their friendship, especially since she hadn't returned to work yet. "I wish I knew how to fix it, but I don't."

"I don't know either, and that's what scares me. I love you, Karebear. I want you to always be a part of my life. You know more about me than anyone. Since my mom died, you're all I have." She could feel tears trying to escape, but she held them back. She had no idea that he was feeling so much pain. His mother had died almost a year before, but it was obvious that his pain was still very much a part of his everyday life.

"Oh, honey." She pulled him into a hug, patting his back in comfort. "Why don't we see if there's an apartment in my building that we could set you up in, or you could come and spend the night when you're feeling lonely." She pulled away, placing her hands on either side of his face. "We'll think of something. Neither of us is going anywhere, because you're still my best friend too."

"I'm sorry I'm acting so stupid." He rolled his eyes and tried to pull away, but was shocked when she pulled him back and placed a gentle, lingering kiss upon his lips.

"It's not stupid, honey. We'll talk about this later and figure everything out, okay?" He nodded as they stood, hands still connected. He licked his lips and smiled, but cringed after a brief moment.

"Oh, I taste bananas." They both groaned as they began to exit the bathroom.

"I need a breath mint, honey."


	11. Chapter 11

Boxes were everywhere in her apartment, lining walls and even a few in the bathroom. All four of the friends took turns watching the baby while the other three carried furniture and boxes up the elevator. They had just added the last of his furniture, a bookshelf to add to Karen's already massive library. She and Grace sighed in relief when they finally had the shelf in place, while Jack was bringing a box of books.

"Karen, why didn't you just hire moving men?" Grace placed a hand to the side of her stomach, easing the pain she had caused while lifting heavy furniture.

"Because, Will said it'd be more meaningful if we all did this together."

"Yeah, meanwhile, where is he?"

"Feeding Marie." She sat upon the couch, sighing at the release of tension in her back.

"Karen!" She rolled her eyes and stood once again at Will's voice. Grace took a seat upon the couch and watched her leave, smiling.

"What, honey? I just sat down." She entered the nursery to find Will standing behind Marie, her hands in the air.

"Check this out." He seemed very excited, but she had already seen her daughter stand. She had been standing for a week or so, pulling herself up on the couch or coffee table.

"We both know she can stand."

"No, bend down and hold your arms out. She's trying to walk." She did as he said, smiling to her little girl. "Go see Mama."

"Come on, honey." She smiled as she watched her daughter take her first steps, grasping her in her arms once she made it to her. She lifted the girl and stood as Will joined them in a group hug, placing a kiss upon Karen's cheek. Jack and Grace entered the room, questioning the commotion they heard.

And there they stood, the four friends and the newest addition to their family. Times had led them through many things, rough and smooth, but their friendship remained. Karen and Will had found love, and the love they could have for their child.

"I'm so happy." Will smiled, looking into the eyes of his friends, and lover. Karen returned the smile, meeting his eyes with adoration. He could see how much she loved him, knowing how much he loved her as well. He made his decision, right there in the nursery. "Here." He handed her a small box, seeing confusion overtake her face.

"What's this?" She opened the box to find a ring, a large diamond surrounded by smaller ones. It was the most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever seen, and she had seen a lot of fine jewelry in her lifetime.

"It's my grandmother's wedding ring." She raised her eyebrows in question, but he only shrugged. Grace smiled, for she had been with him when he retrieved it from his mother, and she only hoped Karen would say yes to an eventual marriage. She smiled, brightly.

"Well, somebody break out some wine. It looks like we have reasons to celebrate."

The End

Thanks for the reviews. New story in progress.


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